270 GEOLOGICAIy SURVEY OF NEW JERSEY. 



ware are, that the forest-land there is cut into many small- 

 blocks, between which is farm-land, and that the proper senti- 

 ment exists in the minds of the natives, a sentiment due to the. 

 value of the pine-chats. 



The division of large tracts of land into parcels is of advantage 

 economically and socially, provided they are of a size sufficient 

 to support a family of ordinary intelligence. Such a farm should 

 consist of at least thirty-five acres of cleared land and sixty-five 

 acres of woodland. The sale of city lots in the woods, or even 

 five or ten-acre plots, is rarely fruitful of good, and is, on the 

 whole, detrimental in the end to the purchaser and community 

 in general. 



Where fire constantly burns the litter from the surface and 

 prevents the formation of young forests, the soil constantly 

 deteriorates and finally becomes sterile and lifeless — literally 

 lifeless — because the organisms in the soil which cause the 

 decomposition of humus and the conservation of nitrogen are 

 killed. The prevention of fire, therefore, is of course the fir.st 

 and most important step. 



Further discussion in reference to the prevention of fire on 

 lands owned by private parties seems like threshing old straw, 

 but since it is hardly likely under the circumstances that the 

 State would buy and properly care for this vast tract of sandy 

 land, or would force private parties to institute efficient meas- 

 ures in this line, as is common in Europe, it is necessary to 

 devise other schemes which might accomplish this end and 

 which fit the peculiar conditions, political, social and economi- 

 cal, which exist. 



It is generally recognized throiighout Europe that the con- 

 struction of suitable fire-lanes throughout the forest conduces 

 more to the prevention of great conflagrations than any other 

 institution. The recent fires in the Ivandes of France were due, 

 it is claimed, to the neglect of fire-lanes. These serve as van- 

 tage points in the fighting of fire, and often in themselves are 

 sufficient to prevent its spread. By means of fire-lanes the 

 country is cut into parcels and the danger of great conflagrations 

 very materially reduced. These fire-lanes, in order to be 

 efficient, must be wide, clean and well cared for, for otherwise 

 they are of little use. Now the great question is, how to estab- 



